


Past to Present

by FictionalWorldsAreExquisite



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, POV Tony Stark, Reflection, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, [clears throat] WHEN I USE THE WORD RELATIONSHIP. I DO NOT MEAN ROMANTIC., this is platonic yo, this is sort of a reflective work. i think reflection is the best word for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:00:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21776413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionalWorldsAreExquisite/pseuds/FictionalWorldsAreExquisite
Summary: Tony reflects on his developing relationship with Peter over time.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 73





	Past to Present

**Author's Note:**

> i want to write something here like guys! wanted to try a new style of sort of reflection! what do you think?
> 
> but in reality my allergies are KILLING me (not literally like a peanut allergy tho) and i think i've been crying all day (not ACTUALLY though, my eyes are just watering) and if i blow my nose one more time i might pass out but i was like dude!! wanna write! and this is what came out of my muddled brain
> 
> on reflection tho, i do think i just tried writing a different style. just unintentionally. thanks allergies. brb going back to crying

It was in the moments where work wasn’t inherently present that their relationship grew into something else. 

It started off as a strictly professional relationship, meeting up purely to work, whether the nature of the work was related to superhero business or engineering in the lab. Tony genuinely did approach the setup with an intent to teach and aid. Peter was smart, sure, but he didn’t previously have access to the technology that Tony did and he was still young, there was still a lot of knowledge to be shared despite Peter’s sharp intelligence.

It continued like that for a while, Tony would help fix or upgrade the Spider-Man suit, sometimes add protocols or give advice on related problems. Or, Tony would introduce him to a new aspect of engineering in the lab, give him some advice on how he was wiring things to make it more efficient and he’d be delighted by the suggestions Peter hesitantly made back towards Tony’s work. Tony might have more knowledge but that didn’t mean that Peter had nothing to offer in that regard, Tony often overlooked things on a basic level that Peter caught, being more familiar with them.

Sure, Tony kept an eye on the kid during his patrols, helped him if he was injured and picked up a few things in basic conversation about Peter, like when he asked to be brought home early because May wanted to take him out for a celebratory dinner for his test results. In that case, he noted a few things about their relationship and about Peter’s grades (though he had access to those easily enough).

But their relationship never progressed much at any of those times, despite the comfort or advice or personal comments he may have made. Professionally, they worked better together as time went by, but that was about the only development, not that it was a bad one.

It was in the moments like washing the dishes while Peter dried them after Tony made him dinner one night, or driving somewhere together to pick up something they needed (whether that was food or screws because the lab had somehow run out), or the time when Tony waited with Peter for Happy to arrive out in the garage when he was running late and especially the time when they got stuck in an elevator together (not at the tower, obviously, Tony’s were far superior).

Because in those moments, work talk either wasn’t present or it died off and the silence demanded something else. It’s not like they couldn’t exist in silence together comfortably, because they often did, but sometimes the quiet coiled up inside Tony or Peter until it exploded and other questions came out.

Talk of personal life, of interests, past experiences, upcoming events, likes and dislikes, stories shared. It was the extended moments featuring an absence of professional conversation that twisted into extended moments of getting to know the other.

Slowly, one night of questions arising while Tony waited for Peter to finish his (much) larger meal turned into everyday moments. Genuine, ‘how was school?’ or ‘how’d that meeting end up going?’ questions, with answers expected beyond the superficial ‘fine’ or ‘good’. 

Those everyday moments transformed the professional into personal and their relationship from mentor and mentee to some kind of weird friends, family, perhaps, was a better word for it.

But it didn’t really stop there, because whereas the spoken word was intangible, the physical development was not. 

Tony had never really shied away from touching Peter, but it was more like he’d only do it if it was necessary. He was a touchy person naturally, but only with those close to him and in the beginning, at least, Peter was an unknown variable.

When Tony was instructing Peter how to hold a tool in the lab properly, he sometimes grabbed Peter’s hand to adjust his hold, or when he was doing first aid on the kid after a rough (but not doctor worthy) patrol, or even when Peter sometimes initiated contact. Hugs were a commitment but he could indulge the kid in a high five or two. 

The point was, he never avoided it in such a way that it would make it awkward or make a scene. Peter never really pushed for anything too much either which helped him there.

But as the moments in which the personal replaced the professional in spoken word occurred more regularly, casual touches invited themselves to their relationship. They were mostly initiated by Peter but Tony found himself welcoming them rather than waving the actions off.

Peter walking or standing closer to him so their arms sometimes brushed, less space between them when sitting on a couch, taps on the shoulder, Peter grabbing his hand to drag him somewhere. The touches weren’t monumental but they pushed past necessary touches into wanted ones, which was a step forward by itself. They were Peter testing Tony’s new boundaries and Tony surprisingly found himself entirely comfortable with them like his walls didn’t exist around Peter anymore.

Eventually, Tony himself joined in, an absence of hesitance in the necessary touches, ruffling the kid’s hair, a hand resting on his shoulder, eventually building up to side hugs. The fact that he’d started to engage indicated that he considered Peter to be close to him, the family realisation again.

It was when they were sitting on a couch, movie playing in the background, Peter confessing his worries about balancing his future between education and Spider-Man, sprawled out on Tony that the feelings aspect really hit.

Professional conversation to personal chat, maintaining a professional distance to casual touches and finally, maintaining a mentor/mentee relationship to looking at the kid like he was his own. 

He cared about the kid, there was no question about that. The kid was family. As he tugged the kid in closer, he felt that love wash over him. Because he definitely did love the kid, he admitted to himself.

It hadn’t happened in a snap, or overnight, or even in a week. But it had undeniably happened and despite the majority of his life being filled by uncertainties, he knew he’d never come to regret knowing Peter Parker. He’d never been sure about kids, but he still got the privilege of knowing the best one.

**Author's Note:**

> i feel like i always need to say this but i am getting to any comments u may have left on other fics. my excuse of the day issssss...my allergies! they have been killing me the past few days, look, i'm literally crying over here (kidding. my eyes are STILL just watery. come and get yo water). also it's just holiday season and...need i say more. shit be tiring yo. i appreciate them! and see them! and will reply soon enough!
> 
> i rlly just have so many fics sitting there like hey lindsey! u just need to write the end of me and edit me! then u can post me! and i'm like hhhhhhhhhhh think i'ma write a whole ass new story. if i've replied to any of ur comments like yeah! i'm gonna write that! i can almost guarantee you i wrote it immediately after replying and now it's just sitting in my docs waiting for me to write the ending and edit it. like i wasn't lying. i did write it. y'all just ain't seen it yet. i'll get there. don't even worry about it.
> 
> anyway, thank you for reading! Lemme know what you thought about this in the comments if you want. If you've read my other stuff, then yes, it's different, I know. I don't think it's my favourite but it was interesting to write anyway. Tumblr is fictional-worlds-are-exquisite


End file.
